Derrick.



C. E. FREDERI'CKSON.

v DERRICK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29 ms.

late nted' Jan. 1.191s.

UNITED sTAr-Es PATENT OFFICE.

CLAYTON E. FREDEBICKSON', OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 FREDERIOKSON ENGINEERING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DERRICK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed May 29, 1918. Serial No. 100,497.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLAYTON E. Fnnnnnickson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Derricks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to structural steel. tovl ers or d'erricks of that type particularly employed 51s part of the equipment for sinking oil, gas, and like wells, and such derricks generally comprise four upwardly converging corner posts connected together around the four sides of the derrick by horizontal struts and diagonal tie-rods, the corner posts each being made of an equal number of sections placed in vertical or l0ngitudinal alinement and rigidly secured together at the ends thereof by joint pkites and clamp bolts.

Among the objects of my invention is to improve the construction of the joint mem ber's so that the derrick parts will be permitted to yield or give vertically, relatively to each other, under the vertical loads and strains to which the derrick may be subjected while in use and relieve the clamp bolts associated with; said joint members A further ob; eet

from all of such strains. of my invention is to provide a punt memher that will maintain the clamped ends of the post sections in place so that the opposed ends of the post sections will he Pl'Gl-"Elllltfll from slipping or moving past each other and effecting the shearing of the clamp bolts. ()ther and further objcctsol the invention will appear from the follrm ing specification.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafter described and more arlicularlypointed out in'the appended claims.

in, th :uvcompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structural steel tower or derrick of the kind refcrred to and ha ring the several parts thcrcof connected ton'cthcr by joint members cmbodying' the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an cnlargcd horizontal sectional \iew tnkcn'hu linc 2---2 oil Fig. l; i

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional VlOW taken on line 3l ol" Fig.2;

Fig. l is a side clevatioual View of the parts shown in Fig. 2: I

Fig. 5 is a front clcvational view of the parts shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a pcrs iectivc viexwol one oi the customarily employed as part of the equip.

ment for sinking oil, as, and like wells, and as illustrated, said derrick is of the four-legged type and comprises four upwardly converging 'icorner posts or columns 10, 10, each being formed of an equal num ber of. sections 11, 11. The sections 11,11 of each corner 0st are placed in vertical 0r longitudinal allnemeut and arrangedtend to end. The derrick is usually erected in units, one upon the other, and each unit has a post section 11 at each of the four corners thereof. The post sections 11, ll of each unit are equal in length. and have their end edges opposed to the and edges of the corresponding post sections in the adjacent units. All

- of'the post sections 11, 11 are generally made of lengths of angle-bars, and are connected together at their opposed ends by joint plates, which in the derrick shown are con structed in accordance with my invention and will be hereinafter referred, to and described in detail. The ends of the post sections 11. 11 of each unit are further-coir nected together around the towsides of the derrick by a. set of horizontal struts 12, 12. the four struts of each set being arranged in the same horizontal plape and serving to maintain the corner posts 1 l, 10 spaced apart laterally the required distance. As shown in said Fig. 1, there is a setof four struts l2, l2 connecting the upper ends of the post sections ll. 11 of the base or bottom unit, and a set of a like number of struts connecting-tho upper ends of the post sections of each of the units above the base one. The set of struts connecting the upper cnds oi"- the post sections of one unit also serve to connect the lower ends of the post sections of the unit thcrcabovc. Each unit is further provided on each of the four sides of the derrick with two diagonally arranged tierods l3. l3, the latter crossing each other substantially at the. center thereof. The corresponding. ends of the struts and tic-rods tcrmi mtc at and are connected with the joint members rcfiwrcdto. As custo1u'ury. the upper ends of the corucr posts 10,- l() are connoctcdor tied to rctlner by tho connecting mcmbcrsdl, H of a top Fromm-to which is bolted the crown block in which the crown vertical strains and loads to which the derrick may be subjected during the operations of drilling and hoisting, I connect the several parts of the derrick by joint members 16, 16, constructed in accordance with my invention. As all the joint members 16 employed throughout the derrick are exactly alike in construction, a description of one will suffice for all. As shown in Figs. 2 to 5, each. post section 11 is made of a length of angle-iron, and has two integral webs 17, 18 arranged substantially at right angles to each other, and, when erected, the'angular spaces between said webs open inside of the derrick. The joint member 16 is preferably made of cast metal, angular in cross-section and having two integral webs 19, 20 arranged substantially at rigl'it angles to each other, the angle between said webs 19, 20 being complementary to the angle. between the webs of the post sections 11, 11. Said webs 19,20 extend the full length of the joint member 16, and arranged' between the ends of the latter is a transverse web or plate 21, which as shownds triangular in shape and extends into and. fills the space between the webs 19, 20. Said transverse web 21 is preferably cast integral with the Webs.;.19, 20 between which it extends.

In use, said joint member 16 is applied over the outer faces and at opposed end portions of two vertically alined post sections 11, 11, with the webs 19, 20 of said joint member overlapping. the webs 1.7, 18 of said two post sections 11, 11. The joint member 16 is so applied that its transverse web 21 extends inward and between the opposed endedges of said two post sections 11, 11, as shown in Fig. 3. and thereby separates the opposed end edges of said post sections.

Said opposedcndedges abut endwise a ainsttransverse web 21 overlap the outer surfaces of the webs of the upper section 11, 'while' the port-ions of said webs19, 20 below said transverse web 21 overlap thelike faces of the lower post section 11.- The overlapping webs of the post sections 11,11 and joint "member 16 are clamped together by fastenci'fifing members, preferably in the formpf bolts the path of upward movement thereof, Iii- .1 30

22, 22 extending transversely of such arts and inserted through registering bolt oles 23, 24 in said webs. As shown in the drawings, there are four bolt holes 23, in each of said Webs 19, 20, two on each side of said transverse web 21. There are two bolt holes 24., 24 in each of the webs 17, 18 of each of said post sections 11, 11, and as shown said bolt holes 24, 24 are elongated vertically or lengthwise of said post sections. In order to prevent the nuts 25, 2 5, on the inner threaded ends of said bolts 22, 22, from entering said elongated slots 24, 24, an angle-plate 26 is applied against the inner faces of the post sections 11, 11 on each side of the transverse web 21, and said nuts 25 are tightened against said plates.

The advantages arising fronrthe use of my joint members 16 are manifold. In the first place, by the provision of said elongated lots 21, 24, even when the parts are clamped together .hy the bolts 22 a relative amount of vertical movement or play is permitted between the post sections 11 and the joint members, thereby imparting a degree offlexibility to the derrick structure and allowing the same 'to yield or give under the vertical loads and strains to which the derrick is subjected during the operations of drilling and hoisting. lVhen drilling a wellby the percussive method, the derrick is subjected intermittently to a vertical load or strain as the string of tools is raised and lowered. Consequently, said slots 2 L, 2 1 permit the derrick parts to yield vertically and com- 100 pens-ate for the vertical loads thus placed. upon the post sections 11, and also relieve the clamp bolts 22, 22 from such loads, the latter being transmitted directly to the transverse webs 21. Thus the strength of 105 the derrick is not limited to the shearing stress of the clamp bolts 22, Moreover said transverse webs 21 form relatively wide bearing surfaces for the ends of the post sections 11, 11, and prevent the vertical load on I one section from being directly imparted to the corresponding adjacent one, as would bethe case if the opposed ends of the post sections abutted endwise one against the other. Then again, said transverse'webs 21 and vertical webs 19, 20 ot' the joint members, together with the bolts 22, 22, hold the ends of the post sections'from both lateral and vertical displacement and thereby relieve the bolts 22, 22 from all vertical strains and, further, prevent the opposed ends of the post sections from slipping one past the other, which if permitted would effect the shearing of the clamp bolts under overloads placedupon the derrick. \Vhen pulling the casing, there is an extreme downward-load placed upon the derrick, and such load is in creased if the casing sticks in the well hole due to the presence of some obstruction in as said transverse web.

sudh an obstruction is encountered and pro vthus the easing from being pulled upward, the'casing, which is Formed of pipe sections coupled end to end, will expand or lengthen endwise under the upward pull thereon. After the casing has stretched to its fulles-zt extent, it suddenly recoils or comes back. that is, contracts endwise, with the. atterulant result that. the derrick structtu'e is subjected suddenly to a downward overload. This sudden contraction produces av heavy downward overload on the derrick. structure, and the latter due to the (-ilongated slots 2+, M, will yield or give eminuensln'ate llN-I'Qlt'ltll and withstarul the same without bowling or toppling over or shearing oll the bolts 32; :32. The failure of gtrtuturai steel tlerriclcs or towers used in-s'sinlriug oil. as. and like wells is directly traceable to the sudden overhaul being produced by the instantaneous eontraction of the casing. and in such derruks the maximum of vertical. strength is me. urcd by the. shearing strength of the bolts used for clamping the, post ections together. In my device, luawever, ample. provision is made for the :lerrirlr to Withstand this sudden overload. and the derrielr possesses all of the advantages of both the structural steel derrick and a wooden one, with the elimination of all of the disadvantages of each.

The horizontal struts l9. ll? of each'set are connected at their ends with the tour joint members If in the same horizontal plane with said set of horizontal struts. The (.Ol'lllQGllUll is made as Follows: As shown in Fi s. 2 to G, the tramwerse web 31 is pro vid cd with two outwardly extending integral parts 27, 27, one adjacent each web 19. 20 and arranged in the same horizontal plane Each strut 12 is made of a length of angle-bar, as shown in Fig. 3. and applied in the. derrick structure with one web .28 arranged vertically and extending downwardly, and with the other web 29 arranged horizontally and extending inwardly. The end portion of the horizontal web 29 overlaps the part 2?, and is secured thereto by vertically arr-angel clamp bolts 30, 30 having clamp nuts 31, 31 threaded upon the. lower ends thereof. The end of the vertical web 28 terminates short ot-the horizontal web All andabuts cndwise against the adjacent vertical edge of the joint web 19. 20. By reason of this construction, the compressive strains on the strut 12 are transferred or' imparted directly to the vertical webs of the joint member 16, thus relieving the. clamp bolts 30, 30 of stu hstrains. Moreover, the construction thus described forms a rigid bench or frame at each of the ends of the post sections, and effectively insures the derrick withstanding all oi the lateral strains to which it may be subjeete d. The tie rodg '13, 13 arc also .eo'nmazted at their ends with the associated joint members l6, 16. As shown in. Figs. 1 and 5. the. upper ends ot the tie-rods on one fare of one unit terminate adjacent the lower ends of the l'lt-l'()tlr-i on the same face of the adjacent unit. ltlaeh vertical web 19. :20 is provided on each. side of the transverse web 21 with two ontwardtv projecting lugs or bosses 3:3, 31 the latter being; pret'ta'ably made integral with said webs. lCaeh lug 39 is provided with a hole 33 extending therethrough and arranged at an inclination corresponding with the inclination of the tie-rod having its threaded end inserted lilllxlllglll said hole 325, A. clamp nut I-l-l is applied u )on the projecting end of the tierod t'or clamping the same to said lug. As shown in l iig'. 23, said high are staggered. so that one will not. act as an obstruction to the wrench used in tightening the nuts upon the ends of the tie-rods.

\Vhile I have shown and described Said joint member ll: as being used in a derrick structure of the kind rc'ierred to, yet it is of course. to be understood that said joint men her may be used in other structures wherein it is desired to connect two alined members together.

The other advantages arising in theuse 'of my joint member 1-6 will be. apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention apper'. ains. and, although I have. shown and described herein one preferred form of joint member embodying the features of my invention, yet it to be of course understood that the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I do not wish. to be llll'lltfitltt) the exact details of construction shown, except. as heroinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with two vertically alined bars arranged nod to end, of a joint member for connecting the opposed'ends of said bars together, said joint member having a transverse web extending between and separating the opposed ends'of said bars, said joint member being provided with a vertical web having portions extending on opposite sides of said transverse web and overla 'iping the and portions of the bars, two clamp plates, one. on each side. of said transverse web and applied against those side faces of said bars opposite thesid c faces thereof overlapped by said vertical web, said vertical web and plates bein provided with alined bolt holes, and the. en portions of the bars between said vertical web and plates being provided with vertically elongated slots, and clamping bolts inserted through said bolt. holes and slots.

.2. A frame structure of the, character described, comprising upright corner posts,

each being formed of a plurality of vertically alined sections, a joint member for connccting-the opposed ends of each two sections together, said joint member having a transverse web extendingbetween and separating the opposed ends of said sections, said joint member beingproiiided with a vertical web having portions extending on opposite sides of s'ald transverse web and overlapping the end portions of the sections. two

clamp plates, one on each side of said trans verse web and applied against those side faces of said sections opposite the side faces thereof overlapped by said vertical web, said vertical iveb and plates being provided with alined bolt holes, and the end portions of the sections between said vertical'web and plates being provided with vertical] elongated slots, e aniping bolts inserted t rough said bolt holes and slots, and a longitudinal strut extending betWeensa-id posts and connected at its ends with the transverse Webs of the joint nien'ibers between which it extends.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 22nd day of May, A. 1). 1916.

CLAYTON E. FREDERICKSON.

lVitnesses EUGENE G. WANN, CLARA L. PEOPLES. 

